Employment Workplace Relations

Director, Philip Brewin is a specialist in Workplace Relations and heads our Workplace Relations Work Group.

Sunday, 23 April 2017

Changes to the Subclass 457 Visa program

Temporary Skill Shortage Visa (TSS visa) The Temporary Work (Skilled) (subclass 457) visa will be replaced with the completely new Temporary Skills Shortage (TSS) visa in March 2018.   Occupation lists: The occupation lists that underpin the 457 visa have been significantly condensed from 651 to 435 occupations, with 216 occupations removed and access to 59 other occupations restricted. The Consolidated Sponsored Occupation List (CSOL) is...

Wednesday, 12 April 2017

Onshore Partner Visa Processing Time

Finally recognising the need to reduce the ever-increasing delays in processing times, the onshore Partner Visa management section of the DIBP recently decided to depart from the usual chronological method of assessing applicants by month of lodgement and favour Partner applications which are potentially of the highest quality and lowest risk.   In other words, priority will now be given  for onshore Partner visa applications to low-risk applicants and those regarded by DIBP as fully front-end loaded with documentation that immediately...